Quick detachable coupling



Dec. 31,1940. w. H. MILLER 2,226,826

' QUI'CK DETACHABLE COUPLING Filed Sept. 18, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 II-H37 Wmunm H. MILLER I LSWQFSW? Attornzys Patented Dec. 31, 1940 7 UNITEDH STATES PATENT orrlcn QUICK nn'racnanm COUPLING William H. Miller, Royal Oak, Mich.,- minor to The Flex-O-Tube Company, Detroit, Mich, a rporation oi Delaware Application ;September 18, 1939. Serial No. 295,393

1 Claim,

This invention relates to a quick detachable coupling and more particularly to such a c'oupling which is employed iforv coupling together sections of hollow conduit such as pipe, flexible I tubing and the like. The coupling of the present invention is particularly applicable in the making of rapid and simple connections between air or pressure lines between trucks and trailers although it is to be understood that itiis not 10 limited to such application but may be used anywhere where it is desired to have a quickly attachable or detachable coupling between two sections of hollow conduit.

It is an object of the invention to provide a l5 quick detachable coupling which employsa detachable coupling which employs a deformable and resilient locking member which is normally larger than the inserted end the conduit memher and which aiter insertion of the end or the conduit member is adapted to be readily deformed so as to be smaller than a portion of the inserted end which is disposed inwardly of the locking member whereby to lock the two conduit sections together.

' It is still another object to provide a coupling of the foregoing type which is adapted to be attached and detached innumerable times without appreciable wear.

Other obiectsol the invention will more fully hereinafter appear. In the accom drawings: 3 1 is a section of the preferred embodiment of the invention showing the parts in uncoupled relationship and just as one conduit section and the body of the coupling are being 50 brought together.

cl 1 as they are dl following insertion of the end of the conduit into the body oi the coupling but before tightening of the sleeve into the body or the coupling to lock the 55 parts together;

7 her.

2 is a similar section showing the parts Figure 3 is a similar section but showing the parts in locked relationship;

Figure 4 is a plan view, partly broken away, of the locked coupling of Figures 1 to 3 show-'- ing the exterior of the locked coupling and also 6 showing one conduit section which is not quickly attachable to and detachable from the body of the coupli 4 Figure 5 is a. transverse section of Figure 3 along the line 5-5, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 6 is a similar transverse section but showing the employment of" a rubber torus or ring as the deformable and resilient locking member in place of .the resilient endless spring of Figures 1 to 5;

Figure 7 isa similar transverse section but showing the employment of a resilient spiral washer as the locking member; and v Figure 8 is a similar transverse section of an- 2 other modification of the invention showing the use of aflat. split washer as the locking mem- Descrlbing first the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 5. the coupling comprises a body portion i which is relatively permanently attached to conduit 2 (Fig. 4) as by a threaded member 3 which engages the conduit 2 or a sleeve at the end of said conduit and threadably engages the externally threaded end of the body portion i of the coupling. 4 represents a cooperating conduit member which is to be coupled to conduit member 2 so as to be in fluid-transmitting relationship therewith. Inserted in the end of conduit member 6 is a stepped hollow stem 5 which is adapted to engage with the body portion of the coupling and to be detachably con- 1 nected thereto in a manner which will presently appear. The inward end of stem 5 is flat and is adapted to engage a gasket dwhich is disi0 posed against the cooperating flat annular seat '5 iormed at the inward end of the stem-receivin L recess in the body portion of the coupling.

Gasket G is held in place by inwardly extending annular ring 8 which isrformed integral with 4 body 8. Gasket 6 is made of rubber or other suitable resilient material. It will be apparent that sealing gasket 8 is not essential. to the invention asa metal to metal seat may be employed provided the seat 1 and the end of the stem 5 are machined sufflciently accurately or one or both of the same is made of deformable metal such as brass or the like.

Surrounding stem member 5 and threadably engaging the inward portion oi the stem receivlation of sleeve 9 with the fingers even though it is relatively close to the body I.,

Formed on stem 5 is a shoulder ii which is preferably adjacent the inward end of the stem 5. This shoulder is conveniently formed by a groove I2 at the inward end of the stem 5. Stem 5 is so formed that its diameter at no point of its inserted portion is greater than the inner diameter of sleeve 8 so that stem 5 may be inserted into or withdrawn from body i through sleeve 9.

Thus, the largest portion of shoulder II, which has the diameter of the portion indicated'at i3,

is smaller than the inner diameter of sleeve 9. It will be apparent that the stem 5 may be formed outwardly of shoulder Ii with a diameter equal to that indicated at it although this will allow more play between stem 5 and sleeve 9 and therefore will not be as advantageous as the use of stem 5 which throughout a major portion of its inserted portion is of a diameter nearly equal to Q the inner diameter of the sleeve 9.

The inner portion of the stem receiving recess of body i is provided with a conical zone l-5 which extends from the inward end ll of threads it, where it is of largest diameter to point i8 80 where it is of smallest diameter. Point i8 marks the beginning of gasket-retaining shoulder 8.

Disposed between the conical zone l5 of the body and the fiat inward end to of the sleeve 8 is a resilient, deformable, endless spiral spring 5 l8. Spiral spring i9 normally tendsto expand so as to be of larger diameter than the shoulder II on stem 5 and is shown in this expanded position in Figures 1 and 2. It is adapted to be deformed inwardly so as to be of smaller diameter ;th an shoulder H by screwing sleeve 9 forward thus forcing spring l9 to contract radially inward until it is of smaller diameter than the largest diameter portion ll of shoulder II. V

In operation assuming that the parts are in 5,-uncoupled relation they are brought into the position shown in Figure l whereupon stem 5 is inserted into the recess of body I through sleeve 8 and through spring I! until it is the position.

shown in Figure 2, its inward end engaging 5 :gasket 8. Sleeve I isthen rotated in such manner as to force it inwardly of the body by grasping the knurled portion in and turning the sleeve inwardly. Sleeve 8 is screwed inwardly until spring is has moved along .the conical zone i5 and has contracted radially until it contacts shoulder ii. The inward motion of the sleeve 9 will compress spring i 9 and force stem 5 into leak-proof engagement with gasket 6 and seat 1. Thus, a leak-proof connection has been accomg plished without the use of tools and by simply turning sleeve 9 through a few revolutions. This is to be contrasted with the number of revolutions which would be necessary were shoulder ii of larger diameter than the inner diameter of sleeve 5 9, which would make it necessary to .go to the inconvenience of threading stem 9 with body I and of turning stem 5 ,all the way into the body I. In addition the present invention eliminates the necessity for leaving'the sleeve on the end of m-the conduit section 4 which would be involved were shoulder ii of larger diameter than the inner diameter of sleeve 9..

In order to detach conduit 4 from body i,*it is only necessary to rotate sleeve 9 outwardly a few revolutions until deformable spring I! has expanded radially suillciently to allow shoulder ii of stem 5 to be removed therethrougb. Stem 5 and associated conduit 4 may then be pulled outl9 and sleeve 8. These operations of attaching and detaching the coupling members 5 and i may be repeated any number of times without damage to any of the parts.

In'the modification shown in Figure 6 a rubber torus 20 is employed in place of spring l9. This resilient rubber toms 20 is normally of larger diameter than the largest diameter of shoulder II and is adapted to be contracted inwardly by rotation of sleeve 9 so as to cause it to engage shoulder ii and force stem 5 into fluid-tight engagement with body I.

Figure '7 portrays another modification of the invention wherein a spiral washer 2| of suitable resilient material such as spring steel or pring brass is employed as the locking member. When using this modification as when using the modifications heretofore described, the spiral washer 2| is adapted to be forced into-a smaller diameter than the shoulder portion ii of stem 5 and to thereby force stem 5 into tight engagement with gasket 6 and body seat 1.

Figure 8 represents another modification wherein flat split washer 22, which is similar to a piston ring, is employed. Here again the washer is adapted to be forced to contact radially by the movement of sleeve 9 into body. i, forcing washer 22 along conical zone i5 and consequently inwardly against shoulder ii.

As will be apparent from the foregoing the coupling of my inventon makes for a number of advantages. It is" quickly and readily attachable or. detachable without the use of tools of any kind. It makes possible a fluid tight connection in a minimum amount of time. In addition it allows the conduits to be turned relative to one another. Thus conduit stem 5 may be freely rotated in the coupling'and yet there is fiuid tight engagement of its end with the body of the coupling.

It will be understood that I intend to comprehend within my invention such modifications as may be necessary to adapt it to varying conditions and uses and that the invention is to be construed as limited only by the appended claim.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

Aquick detachable coupling comprising a tubular body having an end portion of enlarged diameter for receiving a nipple, said nipple having a circumferential groove spaced from the outer end and with an outwardly inclined wall, an annular seat in said tubular body. gasket means positioned on said annular seat adapted to receive the end of said nipple in abutting engagement, said enlarged ,end portion being threaded to receive a cylindrical sleeve, said cylindrical sleeve having a central bore for telescopingly receiving said nipple; said tubular member having abutting engagement with 

